Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Differential Effects of Lipid-lowering Drugs in Modulating Morphology of Cholesterol Particles
Published on: November 10, 2017
Neuroprotective properties of statins
Karolina Stepień1, Michał Tomaszewski, Stanisław J Czuczwar
1Department of Pathophysiology, Skubiszewski Medical University of Lublin, Jaczewskiego 8, PL 20-090 Lublin, Poland.
Abstract:
Treatment with statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) reduces the risk of ischemic stroke among patients with increased risk of vascular disease. Recent experimental data point to neuroprotective properties of statins in acute cerebral ischemia. There is a proven link between bioavailability of nitric oxide and the activity of statins and ischemic stroke. Due to their ability to up-regulate nitric oxide synthase, statins have been considered in the therapy of a number of the central nervous system disorders, including cerebral ischemia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, tumors, and trauma. It has been claimed that they suppress inflammatory response and secondary injury after acute ischemia.
Related Concept Videos
Lipid-Lowering Drugs: Statins and Miscellaneous Agents
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism
Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
The Blood-brain Barrier
Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...
Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists